When it comes to Mississippi State’s Teaira McCowan you can count on two things: rebounding and videobombs
.@HailStateWBK's Teaira McCowan practices her moves for the ad for her new fragrance "Center" … "for when you're in the mood for a Final Four" #ncaaw pic.twitter.com/5b4YGlpEVC
— Hoopfeed.com ? (@hoopfeed) March 26, 2018
COLUMBUS, Ohio – When Mississippi State head coach Vic Schaefer began his on-court postgame interview after his team beat UCLA last Sunday to advance to the Elite Eight, fans of the Bulldogs knew what was coming next: a hilarious videobomb from center Teaira McCowan.
The gregarious 6-7 post has the comedic timing and confidence to pull off a videobomb perfectly.
“It’s just getting in the camera and being myself,” McCowan says about her funny and unexpected appearances in the frame. Her expressive and poised personality comes across in the humorous gestures.
@Teaira_15 looking awesome with the photobomb! @HailStateWBK #HailState pic.twitter.com/B7oNfP24Et
— Deb W. ????? (@nordicgrrl) March 3, 2018
However, McCowan was not always the self-assured, towering post who is the nation’s second-leading rebounder. A few years before she became a double-double machine in the tough SEC, McCowan struggled with confidence issues as she felt like she stuck out because of her height.
By the eighth grade, she was already 6-6. And while numerous studies tout a correlation between playing sports and self-confidence in girls, that inference is invalid when it comes to McCowan’s high school persona.
She didn’t begin to come out of her shell until she arrived in Starkville and started life as a college student-athlete. Going to MSU was a turning point in her life when she began to realize she didn’t have to be “stuck in a shell.”
“I really stopped caring about what people thought of me,” McCowan said. “I’m tall. I can’t hide so basically…I got comfortable in my own body and just went from there.”
Because of her visible self-confidence, she has become a beacon for young girls who are taller than average. Recently, a coach of a high school squad reached out to her to talk to one of the post players on the prep team.
“She was sad about her height,” said McCowan who told the youngster “’it’s OK, I’ve been there, it takes time. You have to be comfortable with yourself’ and I just gave her some advice.”
As McCowan plays again in the Final Four following up on her team’s appearance last season, she will inevitably have an impact on a young post player somewhere out there in the broadcast audience who will not only see an outstanding post player but a self-assured individual as well who does not shirk from her stature.
